6 Supplements That (May) Ease Your Joint Pain

In 2012, the nutritional supplement industry made about $32 billion in revenue. But do supplements really work?

Unfortunately, we don’t know the absolute answer, because there’s a lack of well-designed, large scale randomized clinical trials in this area. However, some studies have found that certain supplements could provide moderate improvements in arthritis symptoms and progression.

Here are six common supplements for arthritis and the evidence of their effects on joint pain.

1. Glucosamine. This supplement may very well exert both analgesic and disease-modifying actions. Beware, though, because any positive effect is usually not super dramatic.

A recent six-month study by Kwoh and colleagues didn’t find any significant differences between a group taking glucosamine hydrochloride compared to a placebo group drinking diet lemonade daily. However, some researchers have pointed out that some benefit is seen when people take a glucosamine sulfate formulation is taken, especially for longer than six months.

2. Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU). There is a generally positive trend for ASU in most small scale trials that studied the effects of this supplement. In particular, patients taking ASU required a lower dosage of traditional pain relievers. Overall, it appears that this supplement is most effective in patients with knee arthritis.

3. Chondroitin. Lab studies have revealed that chondroitin sulfate can actually suppress inflammatory pathways in the body. Some studies also postulate that this supplement can actually ward off or slow down the progression of joint damage. However, when multiple studies that looked at thousands of patients are pooled together, the evidence shows only borderline benefit.

4. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Studies have shown that a 12-week course of supplementation with MSM led to significant reduction in both pain and physical disability. However, there’s not much data regarding side effects or interactions with other medications for MSU.

5. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs). The ever-expanding health benefits of PUFAs seem to grow daily. Research has repeatedly revealed improvement in overall joint pain, as well as less need for conventional pain medications in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who take fatty acid supplementation.

6. Ginger Extract. There’s early evidence that ginger can have therapeutic benefits similar to over-the-counter pain relievers. The analgesic benefit has been shown in a few studies to be above and beyond a simple placebo effect. Studies are showing that it can not only help with pain, but also with morning stiffness.

What’s a Person With Arthritis to Do?

The most important action you can take is to be under the care of a good physician who will listen to you and work with you to find solutions for your pain and inflammation.

Work With Your Doctor. Ultimately, you should inform your physician of any and all supplements you do take. There can be significant and potentially serious medication interactions and side effects related to supplements, no matter how benign they sound.
One prime example is interactions with blood thinners. Some can increase or decrease other medication concentrations in your body. I would also not advise any pregnant or lactating women to start this type of supplementation.

Set Realistic Expectations. If you do have chronic, progressive arthritis and you and your physician think you’re a good candidate for supplementation, then do so with the understanding that these are not super potent instant fixes. Rather, most seem to work moderately at best and over time. Setting realistic expectations is key when dealing with chronic disease.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mahsa Tehrani, MD

Mahsa Tehrani, MD, is a board certified rheumatologist with certification in musculoskeletal ultrasound, and is co-founder of Arthritis & Rheumatology Clinical Center of Northern Virginia. Dr. Tehrani is also...read more